We've Been Here Before
by Heartlocker
Summary: Quinn hears the sound of crying coming from the bathroom. She gets up from the bed and makes her way to the door, turning it softly as she enters. She finds the girl sitting against the cabinet with tears in her eyes. She's seen this so many times before. She doesn't speak. She simply sits down next to her and embraces her.


Quinn turns over and her eyes adjust to the darkness. She squints and finds the spot on the bed next to her is empty. As her eyes focus, she notices the dim light coming from underneath the bathroom door. The time on the alarm clock next to the bed reads 3:43 am. She decides to get up and make sure everything is alright. She slides out of bed and groggily walks towards the door. The soft sound of sobs coming from behind it suddenly makes her heart drop. It's the feeling of concern and confusion that takes over in those moments that someone you love is crying and you don't know why. It's in that same moment that you hope more than anything that it's nothing that you did to make them feel that way. Her mind races through the previous day's events and she can't think of a single thing that would have led to this reaction. But she knows it rarely is something she has said or done. It's usually fear of the future, fear of the past, and fear of the present that causes this. She takes a deep breath knowing that she has to be the strong one for her. She softly turns the door knob and the door creaks open. She sees her sitting on the floor against the cabinet quickly trying to wipe away the tears from her face. Neither says a word. Quinn sits down on the floor next to her and envelops her in her arms like she always does when she sees her like this. The reason for the tears doesn't matter right now. She knows she just wants her to be there to tell her everything is going to be alright.

"Shhh," Quinn whispers as she kisses the side of her head. It's simple but it causes the girl to sob harder in her arms, breaking down all her walls with each of the tears she sheds. Quinn holds her there for what seems like hours. Finally, her tears start to ease up and the girl adjusts herself so she is sitting back up again.

"What's wrong Rach?" Quinn whispers as she moves Rachel's hair behind her ear.

"I…I…I don't want to lose you," Rachel states. Quinn can hear the trembling in her voice. It makes her heart suddenly ache with worry. She tries to think of a reason why Rachel would think she was losing her but her mind is blank.

"Rachel, you aren't losing me. I'm right here," Quinn replies with a smile as she places her hand on Rachel's knee.

"I didn't want to ruin the last few days together Quinn, but I have to tell you something," Rachel says as the tears fill her eyes once again. Quinn searches her eyes for a moment.

"I got a part," Rachel begins.

"Rach, that's great!" Quinn says with a smile that disappears when she realizes Rachel isn't sharing in her reaction. Rachel looks down and takes her hand in hers.

"Quinn, it's a traveling broadway show. I'm gonna be traveling around the country for the next two years or however long they want me to stay with them," Rachel explains as a tear falls down her cheek.

"Rachel don't," Quinn begins, "don't be sad about this. This is a great opportunity. You can't say no."

"I didn't say no. I didn't say yes yet either. I haven't decided," Rachel replies as she searches Quinn's eyes for a solution.

"Rachel you have to say yes. I'm not gonna let you sit here and throw away another dream for someone else. This is your dream. Don't make this decision based on me. I love you. I've always loved you. I'll keep loving you even if you are hundreds of miles away," Quinn says as tears start to fill her eyes.

"Please don't cry," Rachel says through her tears. "That makes this ten times harder."

"Rachel, I love you. But you have to do this," Quinn says, "Listen to me. You have to go and do this. You almost lost your dream because of someone else before. I never want to be the one that stands in the way of you reaching your true potential. You are a star Rachel Berry, a beautiful, gold shining star that deserves its chance to shine. The world needs to see your light, Rachel, just like I've seen it for all these years. It's made my life brighter and the rest of the world deserves to get a glimpse of that feeling too."

Rachel looks down at their intertwined fingers and back up at Quinn.

"How am I going to go on without you in my life? Do I just pretend like you don't exist? Do I just let myself forget? I can't stop loving you," Rachel replies as the sobs continue.

"No one is asking you to. I'm asking you to hold on. Hold on to the hope that we can make it. Hold on to us and don't give up. We made it through four years of round trips from Yale to NYADA and look where we are now," Quinn replies softly as she pulls her up from the floor and turns her towards the mirror.

Rachel wiped at her blotchy face and tried to will away the tears.

"I just don't want all that time to go to waste," Rachel replies.

"Then don't let it. I'm still a phone call away. I'm still right here. I can jump on a plane and come to you whenever you want," Quinn says softly as she wraps her arms around her from behind and rests her head on her shoulder. Rachel's eyes close and she lets out a deep breath.

"I'm gonna miss this," Rachel whispers.

"Me too. But I have something that I hope will let you know that I'm not going anywhere," Quinn explains as she pulls away and walks out the door. She comes back a moment later with something in her hand. She takes Rachel's hand in hers.

"Rachel I have been saving this for a while now. It's been sitting in this room for months. I think now is the perfect time to let you know that I want you forever. That I'm not leaving and I'm in this with you one hundred and fifty percent. I've never loved anyone so much in my life. You saved me from myself time and time again. You showed me the real me. You made me realize all the things that I could be," Quinn opens her hand and reveals a silver ring. Rachel covers her mouth in surprise and takes in a deep breath.

"Rachel Berry, you light up everything in my life. You make me love you more every day and I want to spend the rest of my life giving that back to you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and give me the chance to do that for you?" Quinn says with a smile. Rachel nods vigorously and embraces her in a hug. Quinn kisses her and both have tears in their eyes now from the happiness that has filled the room.

"Let me put this on you," Quinn says with a smile as she takes Rachel's hand in hers and slides the ring on it. She wipes a tear off of Rachel's cheek and kisses her again.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but I know that I've never been happier than I am with you right now," Rachel says as she presses her forehead against Quinn's. Quinn smiles at her.

"Let's go back to bed," she whispers softly. Rachel smiles and the two walk out of the bathroom. Quinn turns around to turn out the light and the memory of meeting Rachel in the bathroom all those times in high school hits her. Their friendship started here all those years ago and it seems oddly fitting that this is where she asked her to marry her, however weird that might seem to the rest of the world. Then again, she and Rachel's relationship has never been normal. She never really knew why there had been such a fight over the stupid captain of the football team in the first place. Maybe it was all a way for Rachel to get close to her or her to get close to Rachel. She never quite understood where one blended in to other really. All Quinn knew for sure is that as Rachel reached out to her more and more she started to fall for her. It was unexpected. It wasn't ever what she had thought her life would be. But it was wonderful and amazing and she'd never been happier with anyone else. She flipped out the switch and walked back towards the bed, slipping under the covers.

"What were you thinking about?" Rachel asks as she starts to drift off.

"Nothing, just high school," Quinn replies.

"The bathroom?" Rachel asks knowingly. Quinn cuddles up close to her and kisses her cheek.

"Yeah, the bathroom."


End file.
